


only as

by italiandressing69



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir/Marinette - Freeform, F/M, Jealous Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Lukanette, Lukanette Week, Marichat, Marichat May, Marichat May 2019, Marichat May 2020, Marichat Week, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, OOC, marinette/chat noir, occasional out of character marinette, some characters may act out of character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:27:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29829768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/italiandressing69/pseuds/italiandressing69
Summary: marinette finally accepts the harsh reality that her feelings for adrien will always remain unrequited and that she's only getting older, so she offers luka a chance. maskless, adrien is happy for the couple, showing his jealousy only as chat noir.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 10
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter 1

the dancing area was a shade of dark blue and the smell of sex lingered around it unpleasantly like a cheap perfume. adults kissed, touched, and rubbed against one another with no care for the responsibilities of tomorrow. the room was drenched in raw sin, practically a devil's lair disguised behind the title of a 'nightclub.'

marinette danced slowly with no passion, her eyes trying to pinpoint adrien in the crowd. marinette continuously clung to the hopeless fantasy that adrien would get drunk enough to kiss her, but stay sober enough to remember it. that he'd have the liquid courage to confess his feelings for her drunk underneath a mirrorball, if there were any at all. but as seductive as she would dress and as flirtatious as she would get, adrien would never make a move. he either smiled or brushed it off as a joke between friends, refusing to consider the possibility that she would like him. instead, all he would ever do was start small talk and ask about her shop.

marinette hoped, hoped with all she had, that adrien would just see her. he'd see her like he would any other woman. he would see her beyond their friendship and as more than 'his friend.'

in their frequently visited castle of lust, there had been one thing marinette had yet to see, one thing she had always feared. seeing adrien pin another woman to a wall whispering in her ear things she desired to hear.

suddenly she wished she had stayed home. adrien usually came with marinette and their friends to have a good time, never to hook up. the sight of him creating friction with another woman made her sick to her core. tears threatened to slip and whether it be the drink magnifying the feeling or her confined emotions breaking through, she felt sick. she was tired and just wanted to go home.

this was marinette's realization of something she should have accepted a long time ago. adrien didn't and never would see her like that.


	2. chance

"marinette," alya began, "the beautiful thing about being an adult is having options, and girl, adrien is not your only option." she did her best to comfort her heartbroken best friend, rubbing circles on her back as she sobbed into a pillow. "it's rare for people to have hope, don't blame yourself for holding such a pure thing in your heart."

with her cheek remaining pressed against her own pillow, she nodded at alya's comforting words. "i should've known better though," marinette sighed. "i think a part of me knew the entire time."

alya stopped and lifted her hand from marinette's back. "it's true, you spent years on adrien. the real question is not if you can take them back, but if you'll just waste more."

"there are bigger and better things that are just as marinette-worthy and don't involve a particular model. for example, shooting a guy with blue hair and black nails a text?"

marinette sat up and sniffled, "i don't even think he likes me like that." it had been months since she last spoke to luka, unsure of what to say or where to even begin. "for now, you can just hang out and talk to him, you've always been able to do that. if you're not feeling it after all it's no biggie.. you've just spent so much time focusing on adrien that you've overlooked other people that love you."

three men popped up in marinette's mind. chat noir, luka couffaine, and nathaniel kurtzberg. all three of those men had explicitly made advances on her, chat doing so to her masked persona. "okay, i suppose i could," she breathed out.

alya frowned at a buzzing sound in her pocket, "i hate to leave like this but i promised someone i'd meet-"

"it's a date with nino right?," marinette asked her friend, blue eyes showcasing a hue of gloom, unlike the usual shade of joy. "i'm sorry," alya began to apologize but marinette stopped her in her tracks. "it's okay really, i'll even text luka after you leave," she teasingly wiggled her phone in her hand. alya huffed, "okay then, promise?"

"i promise," marinette softly assured her.

(from) marinette:  
\- hey luka

(to) luka:  
\- hey mari   
\- haven't heard from you in a minute   
\- what's going on? 

(from) marinette:  
\- sorry about that

(to) luka:  
\- it's cool   
\- is something wrong? 

(from) marinette:  
\- i'm a jerk aren't i?

(to) luka:  
\- what makes you say that? 

(from) marinette:  
\- you think i only text you to tell you bad news  
\- i wanted to see how you were doing

(to) luka:  
\- maybe it's me   
\- being a little paranoid 

(from) marinette:  
\- you?   
\- paranoid?  
\- no you're so chill

(to) luka:  
\- looks can be deceiving   
\- how are you though m? 

(from) marinette:  
\- i don't know   
\- hoping that you'd wanna catch a movie?  
\- if you have the time of course

(to) luka:  
\- sure   
\- do you mean like now.. or? 

(from) marinette:  
\- no no   
\- next week maybe?  
\- like i said if you have the time

(to) luka:  
\- schedule looks clear enough to me 

(from) marinette:  
\- if you have something you need to attend  
you should really go to it

(to) luka:   
\- nothing there   
\- i promise x   
\- which one? 

(from) marinette:  
\- no idea  
\- but if you know one you like  
i'll watch it with you

(to) luka:  
\- totally   
\- keep in touch this time mari   
\- it's been a while 

(from) marinette:  
\- i know

marinette tapped her smartphone off, setting the device to rest on her chest. she laid and observed her thoughts in complete silence, exploring every corner of her mind. she rested in regret of closing her shop for the day due to 'personal issues.' adrien was never even hers, but marinette wondered if luka would ever be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is the texting format easy to understand/read ? it’s easier to format on wattpad but it doesn’t match on here like it does there. hope it’s good !


	3. photoshoot

(from) adrien:  
\- hey marinette!   
\- want to come to a photoshoot of mine later?   
\- nino and alya will be there :)) 

as a matter of fact, marinette had absolutely no interest in accompanying adrien to his photoshoot. not one bone in her body wanted to look adrien in the eyes, even around other friends or when he had done nothing consciously wrong. adrien had no idea that marinette had been crushing on him, still didn't, so when she texted him back he was dumbfounded.

(to) marinette:  
\- no, i don't.

he frowned at the message as marinette was usually the type of person who replied apologetically or with some sort of justification, as obvious a lie as it may have been. adrien worried that she was at risk for an akumatization, but was unsure what she would be mad about. out of all the years they'd been friends, he'd never personally seen marinette upset before.

(from) adrien:  
\- is everything alright marinette? 

(to) marinette:  
\- have fun at the photoshoot

he was unsatisfied with the response but had no time to linger on it any longer. if marinette needed him he'd be there as adrien, and even if she ended up a victim of hawkmoth's he'd be there for her as chat noir. that thought comforted adrien as he drove to his photoshoot. once he arrived he spotted alya and nino making out on a bench. 

"hey," adrien waved at the couple. "hey dude," nino waved back. alya remained silent and flashed him a forced smile. adrien took note of it and thought of it as odd. perhaps she knew what was up with their friend. "um alya, would you know anything about marinette being upset? i invited her with us but she just flat out denied. doesn't really seem like her," he asked. unsure of what to say, alya lied, "no.. i bet she's fine. she's marinette."

"are you sure? she really didn't say anything to you?" he worried. his gut was burning, telling him that she needed him. "i don't think she's alright."

alya rolled her eyes, "well if you're so concerned about her how about you go ask her yourself? i don't work for you, i don't have to answer shit if i don't want to." realizing she said too much, she shut her mouth and focused on her shoelaces. 

"o-okay," he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. nino observed the two unsure of what to make of the situation. "he was just asking you a question," nino whispered into his lover's ear. alya however made her answer audible practically shouting, "well it was a dumb question."

adrien took a deep breath relieving himself of any negative emotions and texted marinette.

(from) adrien:  
\- if you wanna talk i'm here for you   
\- please don't shut me out marinette 

(to) marinette:  
\- i'm not interested right now  
\- in talking to you that is

one way or another adrien would find a way to talk to marinette. whether it'd be as the hot supermodel or the flirty superhero.


End file.
